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Atlanta baby has rare infection causing ‘severe burns’ to more than 50% of his body – WSB-TV Channel 2

ATLANTA — An Atlanta baby is fighting for his life after contracting a rare staph infection.

Baby Jayce is about to turn 1, but he is currently in intensive care at a metropolitan hospital battling scalded skin syndrome.

The infection produces a toxin that causes the skin to blister as if it were being burned by heat, according to the Mount Sinai Health System. Infections most commonly affect infants and children under 5 years of age.

According to Jayce’s parents, Katelyn Tarr and Jeremy DuBose, the infection caused “severe burns over 50 percent of his little body.”

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The couple said doctors initially thought they had put the child in boiling water and for two days “we begged and pleaded with the doctors to understand that this was not the case.”

Tarr and DuBose said that after taking the child to a fourth area hospital, they found a doctor who eventually ran more tests after seeing the baby blister in front of them, and Jayce tested positive for scalded skin syndrome.

“Jayce is now on antibiotics, morphine, fentanyl, ketamine and a scary list of other medications to help ease his agony and he has a very long recovery ahead of him,” the couple said. “His once beautiful, happy eyes have been swollen shut for days and our little fighter needs all the prayers and support he can get.”

The couple created a GoFundMe account to help pay for Jayce’s medical bills. So far, they’ve reached just over $3,100 of their $10,000 goal.

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